Patrick Clarke is a ten-year-old boy trying to make sense of
his world. He is confused. His Ma and Da fight too much. School seems like a
joke. And love, though it has a good reputation, seems pretty cruel. Paddy sees
everything, but has trouble understanding it all. His story is an exuberant
romp through the triumphs, indignities, and trouble-making detours of an Irish
childhood.

Written with warmth and wit by the author of The Commitments, Paddy Clarke Ha-Ha-Ha
is the most moving story about the humor and challenge of growing up since Catcher in the Rye.

Download and start listening now!

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Quotes & Awards

“Roddy
Doyle’s novel offers a ten-year-old boy’s impressions of friends, parents, and
school through colorful sketches and vivid images of Ireland in 1968.
Recounting Paddy’s adventures in the first person, the multifaceted Aidan Gillen
captures both the author’s literary voice and the eagerness of the boy telling
the story. Wonder, curiosity, and disbelief come through beautifully thanks to
Gillen’s rhythmic, fast-paced, clear Irish lilt. He is consistently successful
with characters of both genders and several generations. This book is superb in
audio because the experience of hearing Paddy’s accent, enthusiasm, and
boyishness brings his character to life. Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award.”

AudioFile

Winner of the 1993 Man Booker Prize

Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award

Listener Opinions

by nobody | 2/20/2014

" A well captured story of an Irish young fella. Roddy Doyle doing what he does best. "

by Mr Twee | 2/15/2014

" I enjoyed this..... not as much as I'd hoped though. Written in the style of a young 8-9 year old boy, was initially interesting... soon waned.... and I hate to say became a little irritating. I finished it and felt a little flat... meh. "

by Anders | 2/11/2014

" Utterly charming, sad and true "

by Kristen | 2/7/2014

" Oh excellent. Violent and striking and gripping and sad and funny. It's about a boy whose parents fight a lot, who gets all violent and adventurous with his friends, and who bullies his younger brother. "

" Marvelous read. Roddy Doyle takes us inside the mind of a ten year old Irish boy in the 1960s, and anyone who has raised or worked with boys will know how great his representation is. I laughed out loud, and felt a wide range of other emotions as the protagonist deals with the social rules of his peers, the problems at home, and how to feel about his brother. Wonderful read! "

Lily | 1/19/2014

" Now, I should preface this by writing that I have a younger brother and am not at all squeamish. My little brother broke a lot of bones and caught bugs in jars and other gross stuff. I am not under any delusion that little boys are angels. I know that little boys are usually bad. Some of them are very bad. But Patrick Clarke is an absolute terror. Every review that I read of this one included a phrase like "amazingly accurate portrayal of coming-of-age in 1960s Ireland." If the protagonist of this story is at all typical of the average young boy in 1960s Ireland, then I truly pity 1960s Irish mothers. I mean, this kid poured lighter fluid into his younger brothers mouth, set it on fire, and burned his lips off. He and his friends plotted to murder a local "mental" homeless guy. By the end of the book, I guess that he is less bad, and he does mature a bit. But I wanted him to go to prison. The book was wonderfully written, and I was wrapped up in the story, but I can't say that I enjoyed it. Also, it made me want to get my tubes tied. "

Leslie Jem | 1/16/2014

" Although there were parts that made me laugh out loud, this book wasn't easy to read. The casual cruelty was just too disturbing. The narration was fabulous, however. "

Jessica | 1/11/2014

" A beautiful story from a young boys perspective - I laughed and cried. I loved the stylistic writing and dialogue. Paddy has a great, disturbing, and fantastical view of the world! "

Jacqui | 1/5/2014

" Found it a bit boring to be honest! "

Rita | 12/25/2013

" Amusing and moving account of his childhood in Dublin, or maybe it was a small town in Ireland. Are little boys truly so violently cruel to each other? Those parts are nearly unbelievable. "

Alyssa | 12/12/2013

" a boy book. "

Timothy Jeffrey | 12/4/2013

" I still go back and read this, often on, amazed at Mr. Doyle's ability to get the emotions, fears, and peccadilloes of a child so right. It's a beautifully told and touching and very real story. "

Pepper Snyder | 10/10/2013

" Touching, heartbreaking, and funny. Good story. If I could narrow all my favorites into a top 20, I'm positive this would make the list. "

Trawets | 3/6/2013

" Roddy Doyle shows us life from the view point on a ten year boy in 1960's Ireland. It is funny, touching and occasionally sad, it is also instantly recognisable to anybody who was a ten year old in the 1960's. I was and I loved this book. "

Susy | 1/9/2013

" Quirky Irish humor "

Paul Blakemore | 12/16/2012

" This book is charming, funny and very sad. Really enjoyed reading it "

Kelly | 10/17/2012

" This book is like poetry and starts out feeling almost like a collection of short stories. It is beautifully and intelligently written and feels like a young boys twist on "a tree grows in Brooklyn". It took me awhile to get into it, but once I did I was clever and heartbreaking. "

Debbie | 8/9/2012

" Following the thoughts of a 10-year old is like having ADD. Something of a story eventually unfolds, but it takes a while to get there. There are some gems within, though! "

Claire H | 7/30/2012

" Marvelous. Vivid and gripping portrayal of childhood with all its oddness, cruelty, wonder and intensity. "

Shannon | 10/25/2011

" I wouldn't necessarily say that I liked this book, but I do appreciate why and how it was written. "

Katie | 10/17/2011

" It reminded me of being little again, though not really in a happy way. Actually, sort of in a happy way, yeah. Well, maybe not. In a realistic way. "

Casey Arn | 10/5/2011

" Meh. Good but I wasn't into it. I didn't really like Paddy all that much, and when you don't like the main character, it doesn't bode well for the book. "

A. Mary Murphy | 5/22/2011

" Doyle's child protagonist is pitch perfect. The rushing narrative and boyhood situations are true, and the domestic troubles will break an adult heart, especially one that remembers such fears. "

Caryn | 5/12/2011

" Odd but hugely entertaining little book about a young boy growing up in Ireland in the 60's. Love it!
"

Trish | 4/17/2011

" I picked this up to check it out to recommend to students to read, and was totally absorbed by it. Doyle has encapsulated the essence of Angela's Ashes, but is a setting which is not so physically grim and emotionally so. Beautiful, touching and a definite recommendation for others to read.
"

K.h.tracey | 4/10/2011

" Oh excellent. Violent and striking and gripping and sad and funny. It's about a boy whose parents fight a lot, who gets all violent and adventurous with his friends, and who bullies his younger brother.
"

Peardada | 4/6/2011

" First it made me laugh, afterward, I cried.
"

Cate | 3/1/2011

" Amazing book! At first it was hard for me to get used to the writing style, but once I did I couldn't put it down!
"

Claire | 2/2/2011

" Marvelous. Vivid and gripping portrayal of childhood with all its oddness, cruelty, wonder and intensity.
"

Tom | 2/1/2011

" This book is part of the AS Level English course and we have to read this book and study it's many different aspects.
"

Leah Rachel | 1/22/2011

" A great story about a boy named Patrick who can't understand the world around him. The one complaint I have is that it has no chapters or parts in any way.
"

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